'We are always going to look at a petition, regardless of when it comes in,' said Councilman Ikaika Anderson

A petition organized by two private citizens asks the Honolulu City Council to deny a zoning change for the Live, Work, Play Aiea development, which would be built on the former site of Kam Drive-in in Aiea.

The petition contained 1,196 signatures and was submitted to the city clerk last Wednesday. The petition cites traffic congestion, sewer capacity, noise and other concerns as reasons why the project by Los Angeles-based Robertson Property Group should be denied.

Bill 68, which seeks to rezone 14 acres of land for the $766 million development, has passed two readings, with council members in both instances voting 9-0 in favor. The zoning change would allow Robertson to build two towers 150 feet tall, and three towers 350, 300 and 250 feet tall, respectively.

However, council member Ikaika Anderson says the bill to change zoning in the area is currently on hold as details of a community-benefits package is worked out. A public hearing on Bill 68 must be held by Anderson's Zoning and Planning Committee before the measure can be adopted by the full council.

"We are always going to look at a petition, regardless of when it comes in," Anderson told KITV4. "But again, this is really late in the process. This bill came before the council for first reading in December of last year, and now here we are towards the end of February."

Anderson says he and other members of the council must also weigh the testimony of those who support Live, Work, Play Aiea, which will provide much-needed housing opportunities for the area.

"We're looking at affordable housing (and) workforce housing for those who are least able to afford it," said the councilman.

Live, Work, Play Aiea is the first project on Oahu to utilize a development agreement instead of unilateral agreement. Under a development agreement, both the city and the developer are obligated to perform certain actions, and the agreement is only executed after a zoning change.

Council Chairman Ernie Martin says he may fine-tune the development agreement with Robertson to ensure community concerns are taken into account.

"From my particular office, we're already looking at drafting amendments to address some of those concerns as well as others," he said. "It's good to hear both sides of the story; I mean that's the democratic process."

Robertson did not return phone calls or emails from KITV4 on Friday that sought comments about the petition.

California- based developer... The showdown is set! A petition with hundreds of signatures is asking the council to deny a zoning change for the "Live, Work, Play Aiea" project at the site of the old Kam Drive-in. KITV4's Andrew Pereira has more on these latest developments... Andrew? Paula, Yunji... the petition sends a powerful message to the city council. But with Oahu in desperate need of new housing, it may be difficult to change lawmakers' minds. 22-33 45-53 1,500 hundred residential units... 220,000 square feet of retail space... and possibly a hotel with as many as 150 rooms. All of that versus 1,196 people who say the Live, Work, Play Aiea development is a bad idea. They put their signatures on paper and delivered it to the council last Wednesday. ERNIE MARTIN: "KNOWING THAT THERE'S THAT MANY PETITIONS OUT THERE I'M SURE THE DEVELOPER IS ALREADY PREPARING TO HAVE HIS SUPPORTERS THERE, OR THEIR SUPPORTERS THERE, SO IT'S GOOD TO HEAR BOTH SIDES OF THE STORY, I MEAN THAT'S THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS, SO." The bill to change the zoning on 14-acres of land on the former site of Kam Drive-in was introduced in November. Since then Bill 68 has passed two readings, both with 9-0 votes in support. IKAIKA ANDERSON: "WE ARE ALWAYS GOING TO LOOK AT A PETITON, REGARDLESS OF WHEN IT COMES IN. BUT AGAIN, THIS IS REALLY LATE IN THE PROCESS. THIS BILL CAME BEFORE COUNCIL FOR FIRST READING IN DECEMBER OF LAST YEAR, AND NOW HERE WE ARE TOWARDS THE END OF FEBRUARY." Anderson says council members most also consider the opinions of those who testified in support of the $766 million project and its housing opportunities. IKAIKA ANDERSON: "WE'RE LOOKING AT AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WORKFORCE HOUSING FOR THOSE WHO ARE LEAST ABLE TO AFFORD IT." Under a development agreement, both the city and the developer are obligated to perform certain actions... and the agreement is only executed AFTER the zoning change. Council members say they may fine tune that agreement to ensure community concerns about traffic, noise and sewer capacity ARE taken into account. ERNIE MARTIN: "FROM MY PARTICULAR OFFICE WE'RE ALREADY LOOKING AT DRAFTING AMENDMENTS TO ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE CONCERNS AS WELL AS OTHERS." The bill to approve the zoning change for the 14-acre lot is currently on hold as details of a community benefits package is worked out. Our calls and emails to the developer today were note returned. Paula,